The Longest Shortest Time

EPISODE #164: When Al Letson Met His Sons

When Al Letson was 23, he found out he was the father to a 6-year-old boy he’d never met. Years later, another son entered his life, and this one was white.

EPISODE #163: How to Hear a Smile

When Kristen’s son was 5 weeks old, she got an email from BabyCenter saying that all of her hard work would soon be repaid: she’d get to see her baby’s first smile. Problem is, Kristen can’t see. Tune in to hear Kristen’s creative solution to seeing a smile through blindness.

EPISODE #162: Cecile Richards on Troublemaker Moms

Cecile Richards, former head of Planned Parenthood, is a troublemaker — a quality she got from her mom, Ann Richards, who went from frustrated housewife to firecracker governor of Texas.

Episode #161: Imaginary Friends & Grown-ups

The imaginary friends you invent when you’re little can be great practice for dealing with hard stuff later on. Plus, a barfing troll and a little egg who raps!

Episode #160: Imaginary Friends & Kids

A glimpse into the weird, fun, and often dark world of imaginary companions.

EPISODE #159: A Killer Story

Poet Rachel Zucker is wrestling with the question, “Did I kill my mom… with words?” Tune in for a special Mother’s Day edition of our show.

EPISODE #158: Black Lives Matter for Middle Schoolers

In the novel Ghost Boys, a twelve-year-old unarmed black boy is shot by a white police officer. Jewell Parker Rhodes talks about why she wrote this story for middle schoolers, and why she’s counting on them to advance racial justice.

EPISODE #157: Car Births, Call-In Style

People who give birth in cars reeeally love telling the story. So we opened up our phone lines and invited them to call in.